1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to burial caskets and coffins, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for generating post-burial audio communications in a casket, and more particularly to a burial casket adapted with an audio message system containing electronically stored audio and music files that are automatically played in accordance with a programmed schedule thereby allowing surviving members means for communicating to the deceased for a period of time after burial.
2. Description of Related Art
The passing of family members and loved ones is a time of deep sorrow for the surviving family and friends. Surviving members often wish that they could communicate thoughts and messages to the deceased even after burial as a hopeful means of providing comfort a recently lost loved one.
The prior art reveals a number of advancements directed to enhancing the burial and memorial of departed loved ones. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,214,319, issued to Kennedy et al., discloses a burial monument adapted for exhibiting pictures of the deceased. U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,343, issued to Boggio, discloses a resting place marker, such as a grave or tombstone, with an audio system that broadcasts an epitaph, music, poems, stories, or voice messages from the deceased to the world or loved ones. Boggio teaches the need to provide a durable system due to the exposure to the elements. U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,921, issued to Rojas, discloses a burial marker and display box for the preservation of memorabilia and/or ashes of the individual. The device may include recorded audio or video so that individuals may actually hear a deceased individual speak. The device is constructed to be air and water-tight to resist the onslaught of the elements. U.S. Pat. No. 6,324,736, issued to Atrio, discloses adapting a funeral casket with a video display capable of playing a recording or other message containing visual images at a funeral service to be observed by mourners at the casket. U.S. Pat. No. 6,980,107, issued to Ziegler, discloses an audio visual display system for use at an interment or memorial site to provide information to users about the individual buried at the location. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,089,495, issued to Barrows, discloses a video enhanced tombstone for communicating audio and visual data related to the deceased from the tombstone to the user.
Finally, Published Patent Application US 2003/0208890, to Kim, discloses a casket link for providing real time multimedia communications between a deceased and bereaved members of a family. The system essentially comprises a wireless communications system and does not provide for automatically generating pre-recorded audio communications to the deceased according to user selected date and time.
The prior art referenced above is largely devoted to communicating images, messages, and video about the deceased to the living. Often times, however, surviving loved ones have a desire to have messages broadcast to the deceased in the hope of providing some level of spiritual comfort and expressions of love. Accordingly, there remains a need for providing a casket with an electronic system adapted for automatically generating audible output messages directed to the deceased after burial. There further exists a need for such a system capable of playing pre-recorded audio messages selected based on date and/or time.